End of era: Giants let Snow go / S.F. planning to sign Mark Sweeney

Published 4:00 am, Thursday, December 8, 2005

Photo: LENNY IGNELZI

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San Francisco Giants' J.T. Snow rips the game winning hit to right in the ninth inning against the San Diego Padres Monday Sept. 26, 2005 in San Diego. Snow drove in two runs in the game as the Giants won 3-2 to close within three games of the Padres. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi) less

San Francisco Giants' J.T. Snow rips the game winning hit to right in the ninth inning against the San Diego Padres Monday Sept. 26, 2005 in San Diego. Snow drove in two runs in the game as the Giants won 3-2 ... more

Photo: LENNY IGNELZI

End of era: Giants let Snow go / S.F. planning to sign Mark Sweeney

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2005-12-08 04:00:00 PDT Dallas -- J.T. Snow, known for his popularity among fans, flash around first base and clutch hitting in the postseason, is officially an ex-Giant.

The Giants declined to offer Snow arbitration, severing ties with the six-time Gold Glove winner who joined the club in 1997 and had worn orange and black longer than anyone other than Barry Bonds on the current team.

The deadline for clubs to offer their free agents arbitration -- and keep alive their negotiating rights -- was 9 p.m. Wednesday, and the Giants waited until the final buzzer to notify Snow's agent, Dan Horwits.

They were planning to replace Snow with first baseman/outfielder Mark Sweeney.

The Giants also decided against offering arbitration to pitcher Brett Tomko.

"J.T. was disappointed," Horwits said. "J.T. wanted to end his career as a Giant. Now he's ready to go to another club and have good years somewhere else. There are teams on the West Coast and East Coast interested in J.T. His first choice was the Giants, but now we'll expand our efforts and look at the other options."

Early Wednesday, Giants general manager Brian Sabean suggested he would have offered Snow arbitration only if he didn't have a confirmed alternative. Although the Giants would not confirm it, two baseball sources told The Chronicle the team was signing Sweeney, who hit .294 with eight homers and 40 RBIs in 135 games for the Padres last season. The contract is believed to be for two years and $1.8 million.

Sweeney, 36, 1 1/2 years younger than Snow, isn't considered an everyday player. He swings left-handed, like Snow, and could fit into a similar platoon situation with Lance Niekro. The difference is, Sweeney also is a corner outfielder and could spell Bonds or Moises Alou.

"Tonight's decision was not one that came very easily to the Giants," Sabean said in a statement. "J.T. is one of the first players we acquired when I became general manager, and he's been an invaluable member of the organization -- both on and off the field. All of us in the organization thank him for the contributions he made to the Giants and for helping us reach the playoffs on four occasions while he was with us."

The Padres, despite having Ryan Klesko, are among teams interested in Snow, according to a high-placed major-league source. A different source said the Dodgers, Red Sox and Royals expressed interest. (Mike Sweeney is expected to move from first to DH for Kansas City.)

The Giants, in the absence of Tomko (8-15, 4.48 in 2005), also were trying to sign a free-agent starting pitcher. They arrived at the winter meetings with Matt Morris as the prime target, but backed off Tuesday after the possibility surfaced that Morris would re-sign with the Cardinals, runners-up in the bidding for A.J. Burnett.

But Cardinals general manager Walt Jocketty strongly hinted that Morris' asking price was too high and wasn't willing to compete with the Giants' offer, which was two years topping $8 million a year, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Both Morris -- who was offered arbitration by the Cardinals, meaning the Giants would lose a draft pick by signing him -- and Mark Sweeney are represented by Barry Axelrod.

By declining arbitration to Snow and Tomko, the Giants can't negotiate with them until May 1.

Snow hit .275 with four homers and 40 RBIs in 117 games in 2005 and was the Opening Day starter nine straight years, matching Willie McCovey's record for San Francisco first basemen. Snow's first year as a Giant, 1997, was his most productive -- 28 homers and 104 RBIs -- and his highest average came in 2004, when he hit .327 and was the NL's hottest hitter in the second half. He's fifth on the San Francisco list for on-base percentage (.369) and walks (565). In the 2002 postseason, he hit safely in 15 of 17 games and was 11-for-27 (.407) in the World Series.

Niekro split time with Snow and hit .252 with 12 homers and 46 RBIs in 113 games as a rookie.

Sabean expressed disinterest, but Boras said he planned to meet personally with the GM anyway. Boras also represents first baseman Travis Lee, but the Giants wouldn't be interested with Sweeney aboard.

J.T. Snow

With the Giants:

Games...1,182

Avg.....273

HR...124

Now Playing:

RBI...615

Gold Gloves...4

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